Wendy Hughes (July 29 1952 – March 8 2014) was an Australian actress known for her work in theatre, film and television. Hughes was an award-winning actress.[3][4] Her career spanned more than forty years and established her reputation as one of Australia's finest and most prolific actors.[5] Her biggest role was in Lonely Hearts, played in 1982 (this film was the beginning of a long collaboration with director Paul Cox). In her later career she acted in Happy New Year along with stars Peter Falk and Charles Durning. In 1993 she played Dr. Carol Blythe, M. E. in Homicide: Life on the Street. In the late 1990s, she starred in State Coroner and Paradise Road.

Called "one of the important players in the development and productivity of Australian film",[4] Hughes worked closely with prominent Australian artists such as the cinematographer John Seale and the writers David Williamson and Bob Ellis.[4] She was one of the leading players in the 1970s' "New Australian Film" renaissance.[9]

Stage appearances by Hughes during this time included as Mrs. Robinson in the 2001 Melbourne version of The Graduate, Martha in a 2007 staging of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by the Melbourne Theatre Company,[13] the character of Honor in Honour in 2010,[14] and Henry Higgins's mother in Pygmalion (2012). Tragically and unfortunately, by this time in her life, Hughes had been diagnosed with cancer(see below), and was destined to die within two years of her performance in this last role.

Hughes had two children, a son with restaurateur Patrick Juillet and a daughter with actor Chris Haywood. She was also married to actor Sean Scully for some time.[6][16] She was survived by her two children, three grandchildren and two siblings.

Hughes died of cancer on 8 March 2014, aged 61. Actor Bryan Brown announced her death to an audience attending the play Travelling North in Sydney that afternoon, asking the audience to join him in a standing ovation in tribute to the late actress.[16]